Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri is the first State Agriculture University in Maharashtra established in 1969 having its jurisdiction in 10 districts of Western Maharashtra. Director of Instruction shoulders the responsibility of leading the education of the University. Director of Instruction is responsible for preparing the academic programme as regards to courses offered, curricula and co-ordinate and guide education, in all the constituent and affiliated colleges, technical schools of the University in close co-operation with the Deans of Faculties, Head of Departments and other officers.
The mandate is to provide Diploma, Graduate, Post-graduate and Doctorate level quality education in agriculture and allied fields for skill development and producing the competent human resource.
The University offers various educational programmes viz., Under graduate [B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture, B. Tech. (Agricultural Engineering), B.Tech. (Biotechnology), B. Tech. (Food Technology), B.Sc. (Hons) Agri. Business Management, B.Sc. (Hons) Animal husbandry], Post-graduate (M.Sc. (Agri.) and Ph.D.), and Diploma in Agriculture (Agrilcutural Technology). There is a Post-Graduate Institute at the Central Campus, Rahuri for M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes, seven colleges of Agriculture at Pune, Kolhapur, Dhule, Nandurbar, Karad, Muktainagar and Halgaon for B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture programme, one College of Horticulture at Pune for B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture programme, one College of Agri. Business Management at Kashti, Malegaon for B.Sc. (Hons) Agri. Business Management programme and one College of Agricultural Engineering at Rahuri for B.Tech. (Agril. Engg.), M.Tech. (Agril. Engg.) and Ph.D. programmes. The post graduate programme is also started at College of Agriculture, Pune, Dhule and Kolhapur leading to M.Sc.(Agri.) degree and Ph.D. programme in Agril. Meteorology at College of Agriculture, Pune. The new Post-graduate degree programme in Agricultural Business Management i.e. M.B.A. (Agri.) is started at Colleges of Agriculture, Pune. During the last decade, successful efforts have been made in improving the course curricula of Undergraduate and Post-graduate programmes. Undergraduate curriculum is revised as per the V Deans recommendation, implemented from the year 2017-18, Post- graduate progamme is revised as per the NCG recommendations, and implemented from the year 2009-10. Constituent colleges provided with additional facilities and amenities viz., ladies hostels, library buildings, tissue culture laboratories and polyhouse facilities. In addition, a Hi-Tech Floriculture and Vegetable Project at Pune and Radioisotope, Biotechnology laboratories, Post Harvest Management Laboratory and Biodiversity Center at Rahuri are established.
The University has been awarded with the World Bank sponsored Center for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology for Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management under National Agricultural Higher Education Programme (NAHEP) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. This Center has started the Post Doctoral programme and will soon start the Post Graduate Diploma in climate smart agriculture and water management.
Utmost effort has been made in providing quality education with students development, and amenities with state of art facilities. As a result, since inception University has produced more than one lakh skilled human resource engaged in various public, private and agriculture sectors.
The students are encouraged for participation in various educational, social and cultural activities. As a result, the students of this University have excelled in various public service competitive examinations, SRF, JRF fellowships, GATE, ARS and extracurricular activities like sports, NCC, NSS etc. In today’s changing climate situation, natural resource degradation, food and nutrition security and its relation to sustainable agriculture and rural development have increasingly become a matter of concern. Thus, agriculture education plays important role for facing such a challenges through use of ICT, weather forecasting, training and transfer new technology. Hope that the young skilled graduates will overcome all these constraints by innovative research and Lab to Land extension of innovations leading to second Green Revolution.
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